Ekka review: Yuva Rajkumar's film is an almost perfect Kannada actioner

India Today

4 days ago

A director's vision often ends up being compromised for the sake of various variables in the market. Whether the call is taken by the producers, other market forces, or the director themselves, the compromise takes away a part of the essence of a film. Sometimes it might go unnoticed. But, when a film lays its foundation exceptionally, builds characters, establishes conflict and is well on course to be an absolute entertainer, an obvious compromise hurts a lot. Unfortunately, 'Ekka' suffers from the compromise. But, let's get to that later!advertisementMuthu (Yuva Rajkumar, grandson of matinee legend Dr Rajkumar and nephew of Shiva Rajkumar and the late Puneeth Rajkumar) is a happy-go-lucky guy spending his days eating, sleeping and loafing with his friends in his village. Introduced as someone who embodies innocence but also carries a beast within, Muthu lives a peaceful life until adversity strikes, and his mother Rathna (Shruti) sends him off to Bengaluru to make a living.As Muthu sets up his life in the metro city, he meets several characters who start testing his innocence and triggering the inner beast. What happens if Muthu loses himself? Will he be able to tame his inner beast? Will he keep the promise he made to his mother? The answers to these questions, and too much more, form the plot of the film.
The first half of 'Ekka' is simply amazing, giving you goosebumps at the interval point. In fact, it is so good that one gets emotionally attached, and several technical shortcomings are easily ignored due to the brilliant emotional story-building. However, 'Ekka' is the prime example of a compromise gone wrong. As the ingredients cook up a solid film, one compromise leaves behind a sense of dissatisfaction. Director-writer Rohit Padaki shows great potential - a filmmaker to look out for - as he excels at communicating emotions and hooking audiences to the world he creates. The world that's built, the emotions at stake, the layers in storytelling, gritty presentation, elevation sequences, and the technical departments dressing up the film to look and sound dapper - the captain of the ship has certainly displayed his potential.'Ekka' is loaded with everything going its way. But perhaps by the time it reaches the climax, it gets overloaded, as there is a significant chunk of the film that gets wrapped up in a matter of seconds. This is the very 'compromise' mentioned earlier, and it hampers the overall experience of the film, which was otherwise a really good theatrical experience. Is it right to place the blame on the director for this, or were other influences involved in the decision? The answer must bear the blame for keeping the film 'Ekka' from reaching great cinematic heights.advertisementYuva Rajkumar, who leads from the front in the film, delivers a good performance as Muthu. He carries the narrative till the end and has visibly improved his acting potential compared to his first film 'Yuva', and this thought echoed among the audience as well.Sampada Hulivana, who plays Mallika - Muthu's partner through the second half - delivered an impressive performance too. Sanjana Anand's character, Nandini, seems to have been cut short and ends up being underutilised in the overall narrative. With a cast involving several other prominent actors like Sadhu Kokila, Shruthi, Atul Kulkarni, Poornachandra Mysore and several others, everyone seemed to have understood the assignment and delivered what was required.The music by Charan Raj in 'Ekka' is simply brilliant, seamlessly elevating both the emotional beats and the storytelling arc. The songs blend organically into the narrative, while the background score does heavy lifting in enhancing the mood of each scene - be it tenderness, rage or suspense. Complementing this is the cinematography by Satya P Hegde, whose frames lend grit and grace, and Deepu S Kumar's editing, which ensures the film stays engaging in most parts.Overall, 'Ekka' is a film that delivers more hits than misses. It's an emotionally charged, technically sound and performance-driven story that showcases Yuva Rajkumar as a promising leading man in Kannada cinema. Despite the evident compromise that holds it back from achieving its full potential, the film offers a memorable theatrical experience with several high points. Backed by strong music, compelling visuals and Rohit Padaki's grounded storytelling, the film is definitely worth the watch.- Ends3 out of 5 stars for 'Ekka'.Must Watch